FIVE people escaped from a house fire in Netley during the early hours of this morning thanks to a smoke alarm.

They all managed to safely leave the semi-detached house in Station Road after a fire broke out on the first floor just after 3am.

A total of 16 firefighters from Hightown and Hamble spent more than an hour putting out the flames and damping down the scene.

Hightown watch manager Rob Cole said: "This fire shows the importance of having a working smoke alarm.

"If there had not been one in this case the people in the house could have at least been injured."

An investigation is under way into how the fire started.